January 22, 2011

Our all in all

I know I’m a little late but Happy New Years everyone! For the sixth (I think) year in a row, I welcomed in the New Year at the Onething conference in Kansas City, Missouri. I hadn’t planned to go actually but at the last minute friends offered the share of a ride and a hotel room, so after much frantic packing the next day, off I went. As usual, it was awesome. I came back refreshed, refilled and hungry for more… During the conference, the Lord clearly highlighted to me what my focus is to be this year. It’s been confirmed almost everywhere I turn. I love it when the Lord does that kind of stuff. I’ll hopefully share more on that in the days to come…

For now I’ll share something I wrote a few years ago that I ran across today while going through my documents. Although it’s not exactly what the Lord has had me focused on lately, it is along the same line. This definitely could be expounded on and I may at a later date, but for now I thought I’d share it, as is. So here it is:

Jeremiah 17: 5"This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

We often read of the negative effect on us for making someone or something other than God our all-in-all,. We will be cursed, snared, etc... but have you ever thought about the negative effect it has on the one placed by us in God's rightful place? How can they ever live up to the expectations that only God can meet? How can they ever provide for what only God can provide? They are doomed to failure, judgment and disapproval, no matter how hard they try. They are destined to disappoint no matter their love and good intentions. Their failure is certain. They are the created. Only the Uncreated can get it right. Just another example of how our sin effects more than us.

I have felt the pain of failure, at not meeting another's expectations. I don't want to do that to anyone... But imagine the Lord's pain when we look to others before Him... I do it all the time... When will I learn?

The fire has been turned up... Ouch. He's shaking what can be shaken in our lives. The dead branches in our souls are being shaken loose and they are meant for the fire. His holy all-consuming fire. It doesn't feel like it, but its a good thing. A very good thing. So come Lord Jesus... Take your place.